Tech and Writing: Tools of the Trade

No matter what type of writer you are, the fancy technology tools out there are intriguing. They promise to help you write books, to create plots, and to follow your characters. But for the working writer, what technology is worth your time and your money?

The best tools of the trade are those that do what you can’t actually do on your own, or organize tasks that you might otherwise have trouble organizing. For example, some writers get so focused on their writing that they can forget to stand up or to head to the store for milk. Today, there are timers and applications that can help you with remembering these sorts of tasks.

While every writer is different, here are some technology tools that nearly every writer could use:

A solid online/cloud calendar program – Google, Awesome Note, etc.

Task list – ToDo, Task PRO, etc.

Timer – The timer on your phone/a kitchen timer, or a tool like Chronicle, which times your billable activity on any task and plugs the time into other tools like Basecamp.

These are just a few tools that can help you get through your day and accomplish more. The calendar helps you get a better sense of what time you have available for projects, and it can help you maintain a bit of balance in your life. The task list can help you track all of the things you have to get done, whether in your personal or professional life.

And a timer is a great way to track how long it takes you to complete certain projects. This can help you decide if you need to raise your rates in the future, or if you need to block out more time in your schedule. It certainly helps you keep track of metrics for bidding future projects.

Obviously, we’ve just scratched the surface here. What tech tools do you find useful as a writer? Please leave a comment.